Hypodermic syringe package



Feb. 6, 1968 D. A. HAMILTON 3,367,488

HYPODERMI C SYRINGE PACKAGE Filed Nov. 16, 1966 INVENTOR Mil/1L0 A.HAM/U00 ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fifice 3,367,488 HYPODERMICSYRINGE PACKAGE Donald A. Hamilton, Pasadena, Calif., assignor toPharmaseal Laboratories, Glendale, Califi, a corporation of CaliforniaFiled Nov. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 594,915 7 Claims. (Cl. 206-632) ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE A package including a hollow casing which encases ahypodermic syringe and holds it between a tape-red shoulder in thecasings mid portion and a pair of internal holding tabs near the casingsopen end. The casing near its open end is spaced from the syringe in adirection transverse to the tabs and is deformable inwardly along thisdirect-ion to'spread the tabs and release the syringe. A removable capcloses the casings open end and has a skirt that mus-t be broken beforethe cap can be removed.

This invention relates to a package for a sterile hypodermic syringe andmore particularly to a package that positively retains the syringe inthe package .alf-ter the package is opened.

In the past when a nurse or physician opened a sterile syringe lpackage,he had to be careful so the syringe would not slide out of the packageand fall onto an unsterile or contaminated surface. This might happen ifhe inverted or jarred the package while opening it. Obviously, a syringethat touches a contaminated surface is no longer considered sterile andmust be discarded.

To overcome this disadvantage, I have invented a syringe package thatpositively holds the syringe until the nurse or physician releases thesyringe by deforming the package such as by laterally squeezing itadjacent its open end. Until ready to use, this open end of the packageis closed ofi by a unique tamperproof closure.

My invention can be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the package with the encased hypodermicsyringe shown in dotted lines;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the syringe package;

FIGURE 3 is a right end view of the closed package;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional side view of the syringepackage showing the syringe positively locked to the syringe package;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the syringe package with the syringe releasedtor removal from the package; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 66 of FIGURE 3 but showingthe closure in the process or" being opened.

Referring to these drawings, the syringe package in cludes a hollowcasing 1 and a removable closure 30. The casing has a first section 2adjacent a closed end 6 and a larger second section B joined to thefirst section by a tapered area 5. Fin-ally, at the rear of the casingis a third section 4 adjacent open end 7. A syringe 10 has a needleprotector 12, a barrel 1'1 and a flange 13 that fits respectively intothe first, second and third sections of the hollow casing 1.

Casing 1 has two cooperating retaining means which lock the syringe tothe casing. An inwardly projecting surface 9 of tapered area 5 convergestoward closed end 6 of the casing .and engages flange 14 of protector12. Inwardly extending protrusions or syringe catches 50 and 51 engageflange 13 of the syringe. Thus, the syringe cannot accidentally slip outof the casing if inverted or jostled during opening.

3,367,488 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 As supplied to hospitals and doctorsolfices, open end 7 of casing '1 is closed by a unique closure 30 whichshows if the package has been opened. A top wall 3 1 of the closure isseparated into a first portion and a second portion 81 by a transversefold line 34. A skirt 32 connected to this top wall 31 extends over anexternal flange 40 on casing 1 adjacent its open end 7. Weakenedteara'ble sections 35 and 36 of skirt 32 join opposite ends of thetransverse told line 34. A segment Otf skirt 32 connected to [firstportion 80 of the top wall 31 has an inwardly extending ledge 33confining the flange 40 between top wall 31 and this ledge 33. The skirtsegment connected to the second section of top wall 31 has no ledge sothis section or the top wall can hinge outwardly, as in FIGURE 6. Ledge33 has a sloping area 39 so the closure can be pressed onto flange 40 inproduction. Also, if needed, a breather vent tor sterilizing gases canbe provided between the closure 30 and easing 1.

When the nurse or physician is ready to use the syringe, he picks up thesyringe package, holds it in one hand and grasps an overhanging lip 98of the closure with the other hand. As he pulls to the right andupwardly on this lip (FIGURE 6) the skirt tears or splits at tearablesections 35 and 36 as second section 81 of the top wall 31 hinges aboutfold line 34. Until this is done, tab 36 extending toward closed end 6of the casing 1 engages flange 40, preventing the closure from slidingupwardly in FIGURE 6. However, once second section 81 of top wall 31 isfolded up as in FIGURE 6, the closure can slide from casing 1. If thetearable sections 35 and 36 have been previously torn, the nurse orphysician knows the syringe package has been opened and the syringe mustnot now be used.

Atter removing closure 30 from casing 1, the operator squeezes the thirdsection 4 of the casing 1 as shown in FIGURE 5. This causes the sidewalls 91 and 92 to bow outwardly and protrusions 50 and 51 disengagesyringe flange 1'3. The operator can now remove the syringe.

Both the casing 1 and closure 30 are preferably made of a semirigidthermoplastic material such as polypropylene or polsytyrene, giving apackage that can be easily squeezed at the casings third section 4 torelease the syringe.

The syringe is preferably released from casing 1 by squeezing it.However, alternatively, protrusions 50 and 51 can be made very thin soas to bend. Thus, the oper a'tor could grasp the syringe in FIGURE 4 andpull it from casing -.1 by bending or defiorming the casings protrusions'50 and 51.

In the above specification I have described my invention by using aspecific embodiment thereof. It is understood that persons skilled inthe art can make certain modifications to this embodiment withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In combination: a medical instrument package including an elongatedhollow casing closed at one end and open at an opposite end, a removableclosure fitting across the opposite end of the casing, said casinghaving an inwardly projecting wall surta'ce intermediate its two ends; amedical instrument within said casing and locked against longitudinalmovement toward said closed end by engagement with said inwardlyprojecting wall surface; said casing having at least one tab adjacentits opposite end projecting inwardly in a first direction to engage themedical instru ment and prevent this instrument from sliding toward thecasings opposite end; and said casing being spaced from the instrumentin a scond direction transverse to the first direction with the casingbeing defiormable inwardly along said second direction to spread aportion of the casing carrying said tab outwardly t0 disengage theinstrument for removal of the instrument from the casing.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and seconddirections are approximately at right angles to each other.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the casing has anexternal flange adjacent its open end; and the closure includes a topwall separate into first and second sections by a transverse fold line,a depending skirt connected to the first section of the top wall, saidskirt having along a length thereof an inwardly projecting ledgeretaining the casing flange between the first section of the top walland the ledge, said second section of the top wall having locking meansassociated therewith for engaging the casing and locking the closureagainst sliding on the flange, said locking means disengaging from thecasing when the first section is folded outwardly about the transversefold area to allow the closure to slide along the flange.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein the skirt of theclosure has a weakened tearable area joining each end of the transversefold line of the top wall, said tearalble .are'as showing whether thesyringe package has been opened.

5. In combination: a hypodermic syringe package including an elongatedhollow casing closed at one end and open at an opposite end with anexternal flange on the casing adjacent its open end, said casing havinga first section adjacent its closed end for receiving a needle protectorand having a second section of larger diameter than said first sectionand adapted to receive a syringe barrel, said first and second sectionsof the casing being joined by a tapered area of the casing, and a thirdlaterally squeezable section joined to the second section and adapted toreceive a flange of a syringe; and a hypodermic syringe within thecasing, said syringe including a barrel, a flange at one end of thebarrel, and a needle protector at an opposite end, said needle protectorhaving an external flange which wedges against a tapered internalsurface of the casings tapered area; said casing having in its thirdsection at least one tab projecting inwardly in a first direction toengage the syringe and prevent the syringe from sliding toward thecasings open end; said casing being spaced from the syringe in a seconddirection transverse to the first direction with the casing beingdeformable inwardly along said second direction to spread -a portion ofthe casing carrying said taJb outwardly to disengage the syringe forremoval of the syringe from the casing; said syringe package including asliding closure across the casings open end, said closure including atop wall separated into first and second sect-ions by a transverse foldline, a depending skirt connected to the first section of the top wall,said skirt having an inwardly projecting ledge retaining the flangebetween the first section of the top wall and the ledge, said secondsection of the top wall having associated therewith a stop memberprojecting toward the casings closed end, which stop member engages thecasing and prevents the closure from sliding on the fi ange, and a pairof weakened tearable areas of the skirt joining ends of the fold area ofthe closures top wall, said tearable areas of the skirt showing whetherthe second section of the top wall has been folded outwardly to open thesyringe package.

6. In combination: a medical instrument package including an elongatedhollow casing closed at one end and [open at an opposite end; aremovable closure fitting across the opposite end of the casing; amedical instrument within said casing; said casing having at least onetab adjacent its opposite end projecting inwardly in a first directionto engage the medical instrument and prevent this instrument fromsliding toward the casings opposite end; and said casing being spacedfrom the instrument in .a second direct-ion with the casing beingdeformable inwardly along said second direction to spread a portion ofthe casing carrying said tab outwardly to disengage the instrument forremoval of the instrument from the casing.

7. In combination: a medical instrument package including an elongatedhollow casing closed at one end and open at an opposite end; rernovableclosure means detachably engaged across said opposite end; a medicalinstrument enclosed within said casing when said removable closure meansis removed; said casing having at least one abutment portion adjacentsaid opposite casing end projecting inwardly in a first direction andabuttingly engaging said instrument and normally preventing saidinstrument from sliding out of the casing open end when said closuremeans is removed; said casing being so conformed and spaced from theinstrument in a second direction and being deformable in said seconddirection inwardly toward said instrument for moving a portion of saidcasing outwardly and disengaging said abutment portion from theinstrument and permitting free movement of the instrument out of thecasing open end.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,156,258 5/1939 Atwood 215-423,074,540 1/1963 Beich et .al. 206-43 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, PrimaryExaminer. THERON E. CONDON, Examiner.

J. M. OASKI-E, Assistant Examiner.

